Ghoremeh Sabzi - Persian Fresh Herb Stew
Ghormeh Sabzi is a fresh herb stew cooked in nearly every Persian home. As it simmers, the fragrant herbs and spices fill the room with comfort and the reminiscence of Maman’s kitchen. This dish pairs well with salad shirazi or yogurt, or both.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef shank, cross cut
- 2 large onion, yellow or white thinly sliced
- 1.5 tbsp tumeric divided
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 bunches Italian parsley, leaves only finely chopped
- 2 bunches cilantro, leaves only finely chopped
- 2 bunches green onions, greens only finely chopped
- 2-3 tbsp fenugreek, dried
- 1 14 oz can red kidney beans drained
- 3 dried lemons, washed and pierced
- ¼-½ cup oil, vegetable
Instructions
- Heat a large pot with 1-2 Tbsp of oil. Add sliced onions and 1 tsp of tumeric. Sauté on medium/high heat until onions are translucent. Remove from pot and set aside.
- Season beef shanks with salt, pepper, and tumeric on both sides. In the same pot, brown each side until golden.
- Place the onions on top of the beef. Pour in enough water to just cover the beef. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer at least 1 hour.
- While the beef is cooking, wash the parsley, cilantro, and the greens of the scallions to remove any dirt. Let the vegetables air dry on a kitchen towel or use a salad spinner to remove excess water. Finely chop using a kitchen knife. *Using a food processor is quicker but may make the herbs watery.
- Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large sauté pan until very hot. Fry the chopped vegetables and 2 T dried fenugreek in the oil until they turn a deep, dark green - stirring occasionally to avoid burning. This should take about 20-30 minutes, depending on how dry the vegetables are.
- Combine the vegetables, kidney beans, and dried lemons into the pot of simmering beef. Add the remaining tumeric and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for at least 1 more hour - the longer it simmers, the tastier it is. Adjust salt and pepper seasoning to taste.
- Serve over hot, fluffy basmati rice.